Hard Knocks
by lillypad625
Summary: Arnold returns to Hillwood to help his depressed grandmother after his grandfather's death, Helga is trying hard to raise her son and have a normal life but things are never simple. They meet again eight years after high school at a time when Helga no longer believes in love and Arnold cant help his attraction to the gun shy blonde. Rated M for language and sexual themes.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Hey Arnold or any of its characters. Just a Fan!

This is my first FanFic plz read and review I'm open to suggestions and criticism. My grammar kind of sucks sorry in advance

**HARD KNOCKS**

**CHAPTER 1 – LIFE, LEMONS, ETC…**

**H**

Helga G. Pataki walked though the quite urban streets of Hillwood. Helga didn't particularly liked walking through that part of town alone at three in the morning but today she had no choice. Her piece of junk car if you could even call it that finally gave up on her and try as she might Helga couldn't get it to start. A cold wind picked up the tail of her paper thin coat making her shiver and hug herself as the diner finally come into view. She took out her key and opened the door, the place was engulfed in darkness and Helga proceeded with her early opening shift routine of getting the place ready for the rest of the workers and its patrons.

"Morning Helga, I'm sorry I'm late got help up at home. Kids got the flu I think." Stinky Peterson said as he walked past Helga behind the front counter and made his way into the kitchen. Helga always found it funny when Stinky would apologize for being late, it was his diner.

"I'll let it sly this time, but if you do it again I'll be sure to report you to the big boss." Helga joked and she heard Stinky laugh from the kitchen. "Is the big boss coming in today with the kids sick and all?"

"Probably not Lila said she was taking the twins to the doc as soon as they open. Poor little Maddie spent the entire night throwing up, I almost panicked and took her to the ER." Stinky said from the window between the lunch counter and the kitchen. Helga looked at her longtime friend and smiled. Stinky was still tall and lanky although had filled up a bit since their school days. His southern drawl was almost gone now and he no longer wore his light brown hair in spikes. Helga remembered a small period in high school when they had dated, Stinky had been way to nice to handle the bitter kid Helga had once been but they had remained friends. He and his wife Lila where part of her very small circle of friends, Helga had after all driven almost everyone away. The bell on the door chimed announcing their first costumer and wrench Helga again from her riverine.

**A**

"Oh hey Arnold what's up?" Dr. Thaddeus Gammelthorp said looking up from his computer screen. Thaddeus or "Thad" as he was known to his friend (sometimes he was even still called curly but he hated when that happened) was the top surgeon in Hillwood general and a complete workaholic so Arnold was not surprised it took the other man about ten minutes to acknowledge his presence.

"I'm going to meet up with Gerald for lunch in that diner across the street; Gerald says it belongs to Stinky. You want to join us? It'll like a mini reunion." Arnold had only been back in Hillwood a month and hadn't had the time to seek out his old friends and rekindle relationships. He had moved from Chicago after his grandpa's funeral to take care of his grandmother whom he was afraid had lost the will to live. The eccentric old lady had stopped dressing up and pretending to be other people she just sat in front of the TV all day not even bothering to change out of her nightgown

"Oh sure, sure Arnold just stop by my office before you leave otherwise I will forget." Thad's attention was back on his computer screen so Arnold just nodded and headed back to the ER, he still had a bunch of paper work to do and intended on using the uncharacteristic lull in pace.

"Dr. Shortman, you have a second? I have a sixteen year old with a concussion in bed two and Dr. Lewis isn't answering his page." Arnold looked at the petite brunette in the cute cartoon scrubs and tried really hard to remember her name. The hospital was big and Arnold still had a hard time remembering all of his colleges.

"Yes, of course." So much for paperwork, but if he was honest with himself Arnold had to admit he preferred being busy that's why he chose emergency medicine, it never left him time to ponder the fact that he was alone and miserable.

Around noon Arnold walked through the doors of the diner towing a distracted Thad. The place was packed, half the hospital staff was there as well as a few of the patients he had seen that morning, he looked around and his fell on a familiar form. Gerald's hand flew up in the air and waved them over.

"Hey man I was beginning to think you weren't going to show." Gerald said as Arnold and Thad took a seat.

"Sorry I had to draw Thad out of his office." Arnold apologized he knew that Gerald was a busy man as assistant district attorney and they were supposed to have met up fifteen minutes earlier.

"Hey Curly what's up man." Gerald said tuning to the other man, who pushed his thick oversized glassed up the bridge of his nose.

"It's Thad." Thad answered curtly, he didn't understand why Gerald insisted on calling him Curly.

"Right, anyway what's up man you've been back for a month and I haven't heard from you since we moved you back into the sunset arms." Gerald's voice held an accusatory tone and Arnold wince, he knew Gerald was right to be annoyed but he had just been so worried about grandma Gertie that it completely slipped his mind to contact his friend.

"It's just been crazy at home, man I'm sorry."

"What can I get you guys?" Arnold was interrupted by a tired female voice, he looked up to see a slim bold with long glossy hair that went to her lower back, even though she was slim she had perfect womanly curves and full breast that strained against her white button down. She blue eyes where pale and tired and her full lips lightly where lightly parted waiting for their response.

"Helga it's been a while." Thad said looking at the tired beauty. Arnold couldn't believe his eyes, Helga it couldn't be the Helga he knew. That Helga had worn baggie sweats and hoodies; she had short hair and a permanent scowl on her face.

"Oh hey guys I didn't notice it was you at first it's been a while." Helga said avoiding Thad's face, she looked uncomfortable and as if she rather be anywhere but in the man's company_. What's up with that_? Arnold thought to himself, Thad was a strange guy but he was generally nice.

"I just saw you two days ago." Gerald joked looking at the menu "Can I have a cheese burger with fries and a coke."

"Phoebe is going to kick your butt if you eat all that junk tall hair boy." She joked using the old nickname she had for him while they were in school. She turned to Thad who ordered a salad and then Arnold who just stared at her with shock. The last time he had seen Helga was at Gerald and Phoebe's wedding five years before, she had been acting strange and left right after the ceremony upsetting Phoebe since she had been the matron of honor.

"Arnold wake up man, she's waiting for your order." Gerald's voice broke through the fog in his mind. Arnold couldn't believe Helga had rendered him speechless or that he found her so attractive.

"Sorry, uh can I just have a cup of coffee." He said lamely, realizing he was making a fool out of himself. He watched her walk away and wondered with Helga's hips had always swayed that way when she walked.

"Arnold you're acting like me now." Thad joked and Arnold looked at his friends confused, had they been talking to him?

"Earth to Arnold. What's going on with you lately?" Gerald asked annoyed

"I'm sorry what where you saying?"

"I was asking about your grandmother." The mention of Gertie had Arnold sobering up in a hurry. She was the constant worry on his mind.

"She's still acting strange and I am very worried about her." Arnold said and stared at Helga again as she poured his coffee and brought the others their drinks. Her blue eyes looked so sad and Arnold felt an overwhelming need to know why.

"Bring her to dinner tomorrow maybe being around the kids will help cheer her up." Gerald said taking a sip from his soda. The sugary liquid fizzled down his throat and he almost moan, Helga was not wrong, Phoebe had banned all the foods she found bad or had no nutritional value soda being at the top of the list.

"I'm on call tomorrow." Arnold frowned

"I'll cover for you, it's not like I have anything to do." Thad offered and Arnold actually felt bad for the guy, he had been having a hard time himself. Gerald had told him that Thad and his long time love Rhonda Wellington Lloyd where getting a divorce after a six month marriage. Arnold expected Thad to lose it at any moment and figured like himself Thad through himself at work so he didn't have to consider his problems.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah man, go ahead take your grandma to a family meal."

"Thanks man." Once again Arnold was distracted by Helga as she brought over the food.

"Helga are you still coming to dinner tomorrow?" Gerald asked taking a hearty bite from his burger; one would think the man was never fed.

"Seven o'clock It's Mike talks about." She said walking away. Arnold's heart lurched at the thought of seeing Helga again, he wondered who Mike was.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Hey Arnold just a fan!

Plz R&R I'm opened to suggestions and criticism

PS: sorry I made up names and last names for some of the characters but I had no choice some of them where only known by nicknames or didn't have a known last name

**CHATER 2 – THE PAST COMES CALLING**

**A**

"Good morning Grandma." Arnold walked into the living room to find Gertie in her usual spot in front of the TV channel surfing never actually stopping on a station. Arnold made his way to her and gave her a kiss on the forehead, Grandma Gertie was all he had left and it killed him inside that all she wanted to do was die. "Have you had breakfast?" No answer, Gertie never really talked anymore. With a heavy heart he walked into the kitchen and started cooking her a breakfast he knew she wouldn't eat, Arnold was really at the end of his rope. He had no idea how to help her, he was a goddamn doctor and his grandmother was slipping through his fingers. Arnold decided to give Sheena a call; Phoebe had given him the number to Sheena's office. Maybe some psychotherapy would help.

Later that afternoon after many failed attempts at conversation with Gertie Arnold decided to go for a run, in Chicago he used to go to the gym faithfully but like everything else in his life lately Arnold had no time to look in the neighborhood for a gym. The day was cloudy and he assumed it would start snowing soon, it was an unusually cold October for Hillwood. He passed his old high school and stopped to look at the building, so many memories in the single structure. Some good and others not so great, the looming building brought memories of a young Helga to mind. She had been such an angry kid, always dressing in black and shoving people out of her way. Then he remembered prom, she had worn a long witch like dress and like always had been insulting all her classmates. He had asked her to dance anyway just to be polite since she had spent the entire night sitting alone in a corner and to his surprise she had accepted.

Arnold remembered holding Helga in his arms for the slow dance and wishing the song would end. Once it finally did she had shocked him by telling him she thought she had a crush on him, but Arnold had been too caught up in his old teenage crap to pay too much attention and just told her that was nice and walked away to follow Lila Sawyer to the punch bowl hoping to get a dance from her. Then after the dance was over he had seen Helga leave with Brainy that strange kid that was always following her around. The cold wind brought him back to the present and Arnold turned around and headed to his condo. Sometimes he didn't like to remember that like any other teenage boy he had been a jerk at times. It was karma he thought with a wry smirk on his face. Once Helga had confessed her feelings to him and he had just walked away, now he couldn't get her out of his mind since yesterday's lunch and she didn't seem to remember him at all.

Arnold sat across form Helga and her son in Gerald's dining room, Helga and Gerald's sons where scarfing the food down because they couldn't get up and play until they had finished their meal. Helga's son looked so much like she had when they had been younger, glossy blonde hair and a skinny frame. Arnold couldn't believe Helga was a mother, he had a vague recollection of Gerald trying to tell him about her but Arnold had stopped him not really wanting to know what happened to the girl he had snubbed.

"Are you ready Captain Geo?" Gertie asked more animated than Arnold had seen her in months, taking her to Gerald's had been the right choice. As soon as they walked through the door the young boys had bombarded them about a rocket launch and Getie had gotten caught up in the kid's fantasy.

"Ready! Commander Pookie." Geo said with a serious face and Arnold fought hard not to laugh.

"What about you, Colonel Mikey." Getie turned to the blonde boy.

"Almost!" He screamed shoving the last pieces of carrots into his mouth, Mikey then looked at his mother who nodded her approval. The boys and Gertie dashed from the dining room giggling excitedly.

"Thank you." Arnold said as soon as his grandmother was out of ear shot.

"I thought she would feel better around the kids, after all your grandma was always like a big kid when we were growing up." Gerald said poking at his broccoli, Arnold had to laugh at that Gerald had never been one for healthy foods and even one year old Penny was beating him at eating the veggies.

"Gerald you know the rules, you want pie, eat your veggies." Phoebe said primly, she took the baby out of her high chair and walked into the kitchen. Helga got up and followed her.

"I spoke with Sheena this morning about seeing my grandma." Arnold told his best friend once the women had left the room.

"Good, she's a great therapist and I think Gertie will benefit from talking to Sheena." Giving in Gerald shoved the odious vegetable in his mouth and swallowed without chewing. "God I'm just glad Phoebe hasn't band meat complete."

"Stop complaining man, at least you have someone that cares about you." Arnold felt a bit of jealousy around Gerald and Phoebe, the one thing he always wanted was a family. As a kid he would dream of finding his parents but now that the fantasy was over he dreamed of having a family of his own.

"Who's complaining? I just wish she served fewer greens, anyway me and the guys get together once a month for poker you want to join? We usually do it on Tuesdays at Sid's bar since he it's closed Tuesdays."

"Uh sure if I'm not on call, I haven't been with the gang in a long time. Hey Gerald can I ask you something?" Gerald dint like Arnold's tone of voice but he nodded anyway. "What's going on with Helga?"

"Arnold as your best friend I'm going to warn you, stay away from Helga."

**H**

"I'm so sorry Helga; I swear I didn't know Arnold was coming over until last night." Phoebe apologized for the tenth time since Helga followed her into the kitchen.

"Pheebes it's ok, it doesn't bother me that he's here." How pathetic did her friend think she was, yes her obsession with Arnold had been intense and borderline unhealthy but that had been while she had been a kid and believed in love and happy endings. Life had taught Helga not to believe in fairy tales and even though she still found Arnold attractive her heart was too damaged to feel anything. "Pheebes I don't know what to do anymore, I feel like running away."

Phoebe put the baby down in the pack and pay she had in a corner of the huge kitchen and turned to her friend with concern written all over her face.

"Has he been harassing you again?"

"I see him parked across the street from the diner after closing and last month I confronted him about the child support checks and he hit me." Helga confessed. Phoebe was the only person she told about the hell she lived in.

"Helga, you have to report him, Michael can't treat you that way."

"Report him to who Phoebe? The police? He's a detective and the Bowman's pretty much own this city." Helga's desperation was obvious and Phoebe felt her frustration, Michael Bowman's family was filthy rich and influential in Hillwood. That however didn't give Michael the right to treat Helga the way he did. It was ironic really that Helga couldn't seem to be able to get away from abusive men. First there had been Big Bob, abusive and neglectful during Helga's childhood, and then there was Michael, in school he had been known as Brainy, a geeky but always gentle awkward young man. He had shadowed Helga since the third grade and one day when she had been vulnerable Michael had been there for her, little had she known his dark side was just brimming behind a very thin veneer. It hadn't taken long for Michael to show his true colors, practically rapping her after a date.

When she had told her parents what had happened Big Bob had seen the opportunity to join the powerful Bowman family by demanding that Michael marry Helga. After five years of escalating abuse Helga had seen a way out and took it, unfortunately Helga had not freed herself of the domineering man.

"Talk to Marcus Bowman maybe he can talk some sense into his son."

"No Phoebe Marcus is just as bad as Michael; I'm just going to ask Stinky for extra shifts at work that should help me make ends meet until next month." Phoebe looked at her best friend sadly; she wouldn't even offer to give her money in the past that had only made her cry and refuse the help.

"Babe, we are still waiting on that pie." They heard Gerald's voice from the dining room and Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"Come on let's bring this over before Gerald comes in here looking for it. I'll bring Penny in." Helga said glad for the interruption, she had a feeling Phoebe had been about to offer her money again. Phoebe was sweet and only wanted to help, but Helga knew that she and Gerald where on a strict budget since Phoebe had only gone back to work party time after Penny had been born. Besides it wasn't her friend's responsibility to support Helga and Mikey.

**A**

"Please Helga let me drive you guys home its way too cold to wait for the bus, plus it's late." Arnold practically begged the stubborn woman. It had started snowing and Arnold didn't feel comfortable leaving Helga and Mickey waiting for a bus in the cold.

"Come on mommy I'm cold." Mikey complained.

"Ok, thank you Arnold." Helga said graciously and once again Arnold was taken aback by how different she was from the girl he remembered.

Arnold laid in bed that night thinking about the beautiful blonde Helga had turned out to be. After dropping her off in a very dangerous part of town he had driven home with Gertie whom had reverted to her quiet forlorn self. At least she had become animated with the children that night. Arnold's mind was haunted by Helga and her curvaceous body, he itched to touch her, to kiss her soft lips and sink his fingers into her golden hair. He groaned and turned over, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep. The worst part was Helga showed no interest in him during the awkward dinner and then there was Gerald's strange ominous warning to stay away from her, but Arnold knew he wouldn't be able to do that.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Hey Arnold I'm just a fan!

**WARNING**; this chapter is a bit heavy.

Thank you guys for reading my story, I wasn't sure it was any good and almost gave up on it. Also thank you all for your reviews they are very helpful and help me keep the story in the right direction. Please guys Review and let me know what you think.

PS sorry for the grammatical errors I was rushing to get this chapter done.

**CHAPTER 3 – DANGER IS LURKING **

**H**

Helga buzzed around her tiny kitchen making Mikey breakfast, she had over slept, dreaming about her past with Arnold and the old gang, dreaming of a time when she believed anything was possible. Now she looked around her rundown one bedroom apartment and smiled wryly at the young fool she had been.

"Mikey come eat your breakfast, I think we are going to miss the school bus." Helga called out to her son who burst out of the bedroom with lightning speed. He sat at the kitchen table with his shirt on backwards, one shoe on and the other in his hand. "Do you want to get dressed first?" Helga laughed.

"I'm trying to hurry mommy so I don't miss the bus, because then we have to walk and it's really cold." Helga tried to hold back a sob at her son's words. She felt like such a failure as a parent, she didn't even have a car to drop her kid of at school when it was snowing, and if truth be told she didn't have enough change for both of them to take the public bus the short way to P.S. 118. Helga looked down at her wrist and knew no matter how fast Mikey tried to be they were not going to make it. She swallowed her pride and took out her cell phone.

"Hello" the sweet spacey voice greeted her on the other side of the phone.

"Hey Olga,"

"Oh hi baby sister." Olga said in her customary soft timber.

"I need a favor." Helga said swallowing her pride, something she learned to do quite a bit since her horrendous marriage to Michael. "Can you drive Mikey to school? We woke up late and he missed the bus and my car is not starting."

"Of course Helga, I'll pick him up on my way to work."

"Thanks, Olga."

"You know you can count on me Helga, I just wish you would let me help you more." Helga heard the same speech from Olga all the time and in a few occasions she almost caved in and let Olga help her sort out her miserable life, but she knew better than to get anyone involved in her problems. Michael was a predator who would set his sights on anyone who tried to help her.

After seeing Mikey off Helga set out on the long walk to The Greasy Spoon, when a sleek black sports car stopped in front of her and cut her off, missing her body by a few inches.

"Hey Angel;" Michael said unfolding his large body out of the car, Michael really had turned out to be a handsome man, over six feet tall, hard muscled body and a ruggedly handsome face. Unfortunately he hid a violent monster under the good looks. Helga tried to walk past him, her heart racing from fear. Michael was the perfect gentleman in public, courteous and polite, he was so good at faking civility that people wondered why she had left they great life she and Michael had built together. Helga had no real reason to fear him in a heavy traffic street mid-morning. He grabbed her elbow stopping Helga's progress. "Aw come on love don't be like that I just wanted to say hi."

"Let me go Michael, I'm late for work." Helga felt his grip tighten painfully on her arm and she knew there would be a bruise, nothing new when Michael was around.

"You're being very rude Helga; all I want to do is talk to you. Get in the car I'll give you a ride to the diner." She had a half of mind to refuse but she saw that dangerous look in his eyes and even though Michael was smiling Helga was terrified. Quietly she complied, maybe if she cooperated that would appease him and he wouldn't hurt her.

Once inside the car he stared at the road as he drove down the crowded streets of downtown Hillwood.

"Tell me Helga; are you ready to come home?" He asked calmly, Helga wasn't fooled.

"I'm never going back there, I thought I was clear about that." She answered in a rare spike of courage, the one thing Helga knew was that no matter how hard Michael made life for her she would never go back to the gilded hell he kept her in for nearly seven years. She had regained some measure of freedom and Helga would fight tooth and nail to hold on to it. Michael turned to look at her and see could see the violence in his cold blue eyes, Helga knew that had they been in the house they had once shared she would be bruised by now.

"You're my wife, you and the kid belong in our house." He said with absolute authority in his voice.

"Our divorce became final four months ago, I am not your wife and I am where I belong." She looked out the passenger side window wondering what where her chances if she had to jump out the moving vehicle. As if he heard her thoughts Michael pushed the lock button in the car and the ominous sound send shivers down Helga's spine. Michael pulled the car into the alley behind The Greasy Spoon.

"Listen to me Helga; I played along to your stupid game long enough. I am getting sick of this shit, now I'll give you to the end of the week to get your things together and move back into the house." Michael turned to her with a hard determined look on his face and for the first time in a long while Helga didn't back down, she had worked hard to get away from the man and now that she had achieved that he wasn't going to bully her back into hell.

"You better get used to the idea that I'm not going back to you, Michael there is nothing that would make me go back, you beat, rapped me repeatedly, cheated on me and the last thing you did to me before I found the strength to leave was hit our son. I'm not going back and you better have that child support check ready next month or Michael I will leave this godforsaken place and you will never see Mikey again." Once the words where out of her mouth she knew it had been a mistake to utter them. Michael's fist got Helga in the jaw before she could dodge it, he hit her so hard her eyes tear up and her vision blurred. Before she could regain her composure Michael wrapped his beefy hands around her neck and squeezed to the point where Helga couldn't get any air into her lungs.

"Listen to me real carefully Helga; I don't know what has gotten into you but know this, defy me again and I'll fucking kill you and you know I can get away with ridding the world of another useless piece of shit like you." Michael's gripped tighten and Helga wondered if today would finally be the day that Michaela took her life, all she could think about was Mikey growing up with the beast he had for a father if Michael killed her. Helga started kicking at her attacker and her foot hit the car horn, she continued to push the horn in hopes that someone would hear it and come to check out the commotion. This angered Michael and he did something he had never done before, he started to punch her in the face where her injuries would be visible. Her head was starting to get fussy and Helga knew she was about to lose consciousness, Michael finally stopped beating her. "You fucking bitch, you got blood all over my car."

Helga straightened and touched her tender neck, taking a deep breath to fill her burning lungs. She breathed in too eagerly and started coughing, which made her spew blood on Michael's dash board. Helga felt him move and she tensed up, she couldn't really see him though her rapidly swelling left eye. She felt Micheal's gentle touch on her battered face and felt the vile rise in her stomach. "You see what you make me do."

"Please let me out." Helga whispered, her cracked lips bleeding into her mouth. She heard a knock on her window and saw Stinky's face peering into the car with her good eye. She started knocking on the window desperately.

"Ya'll alright in there?" Helga could hear the muffled voices and banged harder. "Helga? Is that you?" Michael lowered the window and Helga squeezed her body out of the car and fell in a heap at Stinky's feet. He took a look at her bloody face and turned back to Michael. "What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"Stay out of it Peterson if you know what's good for you." Michael said staring down the other man. Michael turned on the ignition and started to back out of the alley.

"You're no kind of f man Michael." Stinky yelled at the car as Michael fled; he bent over and helped Helga to her feet. "Oh man Helga this looks bad."

"It's alright boss I've had worse." She tried to joke and it backed fired angering her savior.

"This isn't funny Helga, you look like you've gone fifteen rounds in the ring. You have to go to the ER."

"No Stinky really, it's fine I just need to get cleaned up." Helga protested, but her brave words didn't go well with the fact that as Stinky lead her to the back door of the diner she swayed and almost lost consciousness.

"I meant it Helga you're going to the ER or ill call the police."

**A**

Arnold sat behind the nurses' station in the emergency room working on patient reports; he had been late to work that morning after taking Gertie to see Nadine for some psychotherapy, after talking to his grandmother Nadine had informed Arnold that Gertie was lonely and need someone to take care of once again, she also thought that Gertie was resentful to Arnold for closing the boarding house and making her move into his condo. Arnold felt trapped, not knowing exactly what to do, after grandpa Phil got sick Arnold had moved his grandparents to a smaller place easier for them to take care of, that and it had been a few years since the boarding house had any borders. Now he considered opening the place up again but he knew he didn't have time to run an active boarding house and whether she wanted to believe him or not Gertie was too old to manage the responsibility by herself.

"Dr. Shortman, I'm going to grab some lunch can you take care of the place without me for a few minutes?" Bernice the petite brunette with the cartoon scrubs asked as she came into the nurses' station.

"Yes, go ahead enjoy lunch." Arnold told the nurse, he knew she was flirting with him, and even though she was very attractive Arnold couldn't bring himself to flirt back, he mind was occupied with problems, and a certain blonde waitress.

"Alright, bed two already had blood work done, just waiting on the lab, bed five is already been discharged and bed eight should be coming back from imagery. Oh and there is a new patient in bed one, she's Mary's patient, I don't know what's wrong with her and I can't find Mary."

"Ok, well I'll go checkout bed one and I'll just tell Mary when I see her." He said getting up and stretching his limbs, Arnold noticed the nurse stare at his body.

"Would you like anything from the diner across the street?" Bernice asked, yeah Helga. He thought and shook his head making his way to the emergency room exam area which was divided the into small cubicles by pale green curtains. He pulled the curtain aside for bed one and came face to face with whom he thought was Helga. Her face was battered, her left eyes swollen shut and her bottom lip slip in half, there was dry blood flaking her blond hair.

"Helga? What happened?" He said walking into the small space, she sat on the bed her coat still on and refused to look Arnold in the face, the last person she wanted to see after Michael had rearranged her face was Arnold. His gentle hands carefully touched her face and the tears she had been holding in started rolling down her bruised cheeks. Arnold took her in his arms carefully; he didn't know the extent of her injuries and didn't want to hurt her.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Hey Arnold, I'm just a fan

**CHAPTER 4 – FEAR**

**A**

"Tell me what happened?" Arnold asked calmly as he worked on the stiches above Helga's left eyebrow, she was wincing despite the lidocaine. Arnold wanted to both distract Helga and find out how or better yet who had caused the injuries to her beautiful face.

"Arnold please just patch me up and discharge me."

"I can't let you go until I know if there is any internal bleeding or a concussion, please Helga I need to know what happened." Arnold wasn't just talking as an old friend but also professionally he had to write down a report categorizing her wounds and the cause of them.

"I walked into a wall ok, god why are you so interested in my life? You don't even know me Arnold." Her words struck a chord in him, she was right Arnold didn't know the first thing about this Helga except that she looked troubled and something in him was desperate to help her. Arnold in his field had seen many victims of abuse before and recognized fear, if he wanted Helga to trust him and confide in him Arnold would have to back off and give her space.

"Ok Helga, your right I don't know you. If you want me to say you fell I will, but I can't let you go yet." Arnold said finishing up the last stitch, her faced was swelling rapidly and she would need anti-inflammatories. "I'm going to go order you some medications is there anyone you want me to call for you." He saw her shake her head no and wanted to wrap her in his arms around her and make all the bad things in her life go away. Arnold walked out of the cubicle and smack into Thad.

"Oh Sorry Arnold, I thought I saw Helga walk into the emergency room earlier." Thad explained nervously, he stood in front of Arnold wringing his hands and not really meeting Arnold's eyes. "Is she in there?"

"Uh Thad what are you doing down here." Arnold avoided answering the question; he wasn't really sure how he felt about Thad's strange reactions around Helga. Without answering the shorter man shoved passed Arnold and pulled the curtain back revealing a stunned Helga sitting on the hospital stretcher removing her bloodied blouse. Both Helga and Arnold gasped for completely different reasons, while she was surprised by the intrusion Arnold was shocked to see the old scars on Helga's right breast and stomach. She quickly pulled the opening of the blouse together and glared as best she could at them.

"What the hell?" She demanded

"Helga." Thad said awkwardly. Arnold just walked away from them not sure if he could control his anger. What the hell was going on? Everyone kept warning him to stay away from Helga, yet no one said why and to see her beat up and the older healed wounds Arnold wanted to get to the bottom of things and quickly he had a feeling Helga desperately needed his help.

**H**

"He did this didn't he" Thad demanded not even apologizing or closing the curtain for privacy, the guy really got under her skin. _Oh God! _Helga thought realizing that Arnold had seen her body. The day so far was on a league of its own when it came to crappy.

"Can you at least close the curtain sheesh Thad what the hell is wrong with you?" Helga began to button up her blouse again. She needed to get the hell out of that damn hospital; she needed to get the hell out of that damn city.

"Answer me Helga, he did this to you didn't he?"

"And what if he did Thad? What are you going to do about it?" Helga understood Thad's anger, because that's what it was; anger. Not concern for her wellbeing all though she knew it bothered him to see her in that condition. The same way it bothered Phoebe and Gerald or Stinky and Lila but like her friends there was nothing Thad or anyone really could do about Michael's abuse.

"Is he still with her?"

"You've got to be kidding me right? I have no idea if your wife is still fucking Michael and I could care less, if you haven't noticed Thad I have my own shit to worry about." Helga hadn't lost her temper that way since high school, and she knew she was being unfair to Thad who was still hurting over Rhonda's betrayal but his timing couldn't have been worse. The awkward little man flinched at her outburst but didn't stand down, his concern for Rhonda clear on his face. "I'm sorry Thad I didn't mean to yell at you."

"It's ok, I shouldn't have barged in here." He said turning around to leave.

"Thad, I wouldn't worry too much about Rhonda, she's pretty strong. Besides I'm the only one Michael likes to use as his punching bag. I'm sure she's fine." Helga felt bad for the guy, it hurt so deeply to be betrayed by the one you love. On the other hand Helga would always be grateful to Rhonda Wellington Lloyd, had it not been for the other woman having sex with Michael in their bedroom Helga would have never had the leverage to gain her divorce. Thad walked out quietly never giving away what was running though his complex mind.

Alone once again, Helga used the opportunity to call Phoebe and ask if her friend could take Mikey for a few days. The last thing she wanted was to traumatize her son further by having him see her in the condition she found herself. After taking care of that Helga took pictures of her face wanting to document her injuries and storing them away, they might not be enough to put Michael behind bars but she knew it would come in handy. Helga heard Arnold's voice from the other side of the curtain and felt her eyes well up again, the last thing she needed was to see the pitying look on his face.

"Come in." Helga held in her tears, she didn't need to breakdown again. He walked in and injected something into her IV. He then took a seat on the swiveling stool in front of her once again.

"Those meds should start to make you feel better soon. Radiology is ready for you; you just have to change into the hospital gown."

"I want another doctor to take care of me." Helga interrupted him dryly. For some strange reason she didn't quite understand Helga didn't want Arnold sharing in that low moment in her life, she didn't want him to see what a coward she had become. The girl he had once known would have never allowed such things to happen to her, this Helga was a pathetic shadow of her former self and she didn't want Arnold to see it.

"Can I ask why?" His voice was cold ad his eyes hard, she knew she had hurt his feeling but it was necessary.

"I just want a different doctor or I am checking myself out of here, no more tests."

"Alright Helga, if that's your choice I will respect it. Just please don't leave you really need further medical care." Arnold got up from his stool and shoved his clenched hands in the pockets of his lab coat. He turned and walked out of the exam room and Helga felt a strange sense of loss. Yes she had asked him to leave but until that moment she hadn't realized that having him take care of her had made her feel safe. Helga shoved those feelings aside, she had to be strong on her own; she could drag Arnold into her mess. The last thing she wanted was to put Arnold in any danger.

An elderly man who introduced himself as Dr. Elm had come in place of Arnold to take care of her, his hands had been cold and he had not really been interested in Helga. All that he had wanted where the results for the tests Arnold had ordered, which Dr. Elm had deemed unnecessary. After the x-rays Dr. Elm quickly discharged her with a prescription for Tylenol 3 and a warning to see her personal physician. As she walked out of the emergency room Helga passed the nurses' station and saw Arnold talking to a strikingly beautiful small brunette in cartoon scrubs, she was relieved that he didn't see her.

"What are you doing here?" Stinky asked as soon as Helga entered the diner. "You need to go home and rest Helga I mean it." The last thing Helga needed was to miss a day's pay, after angering Michael like she had Helga doubted she would be getting a child support check any time soon.

"I'm fine boss I swear I just need to change my shirt and rinse out my hair." Helga tried in a light voice but Stinky's face harden in determination.

"How about I take you home and you get cleaned up if you feel better after, you can come back" Lila's sweet soft voice said interrupting the tension that was quickly growing. The small redhead smiled at Helga and her husband with kind eyes. Lila radiated sympathy and not trusting herself to speak Helga nodded and followed Lila to the back exit where the Peterson's station wagon was parked. Once outside Helga froze in fear as she saw the spot where Michael had parked his car and attacked her mercilessly. She felt a small hand pat her shoulder and bring her out of her nightmare.

"You're ok now Helga, come on you need a nice hot shower. It always makes me feel better." Lila said cheerfully. The short drive to Helga's crappy apartment was silent, that's what Helga loved about Lila, unlike the other people in her life Lila never pried, never pushed, and she just waited patiently until Helga was ready to talk. Once they reached the third floor Helga walked to her door and stopped short. Her door was ajar and Helga pushed it nervously. "I'm going to assume you didn't leave the door unlocked?" Helga just shook her head too scared to talk, she took a step forward and Lila stopped her.

"Maybe we should call the police first." Lila said softly, Helga gave her a wry look and the tiny redhead blushed. "Right, ok but let me get my mace." The two women walked into the tiny apartment and stopped in awe, every available surface in Helga's apartment held a vase filled to the brim with blood red roses. The fragrance was clogging and the fear Helga felt was tangible, with a shaking hand Helga crabbed on of the many tiny cards tucked into the roses and started to weep loudly.

_I'm sorry I lost my temper with you; I promise it won't happen again. Please come home my sweetheart. Love your husband._

Foolishly Helga had thought Michael had not known where she lived. For the past four months Helga had brought Mikey to the Bowman mansion for Michael's alternate weekends. Now he had not just beaten her but also had violated her personal space, she could practically feel his presence in her apartment. Helga slid to the floor and let the misery consume her, she heard Lila's voice in the distance but had no idea what she'd said all she could think of was the fact that Michael would never leave her alone.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Hey Arnold, I'm just a fan!

Hey guys I'm sorry the story is a bit confusing I'm working on making it better plz R&R so I can keep improving. Sorry if this chapter is not as good as it could be but I'm trying to clear some stuff up, next chapter will be better I promise.

PS

The lemons are coming!

**CHAPTER 5 – ANSWERS**

**A**

"You wanna fill me in on what the hell is going on?" Arnold demanded sitting next to Gerald at the bar. He knew he wouldn't get any answers from Helga and truth be told he felt a twinge of guilt going to Gerald but it had to be this way. He would find a way to Help Helga whether she wanted it or not.

"I'll gladly tell you whatever you want to know if you tell me what the hell you're talking about." Gerald grabbed his beer bottle and walked away from the bar to an empty both towards the back; the place was crowded with people out for after work cocktails and by Arnold's tone Gerald figured he didn't want anyone overhearing their conversation.

Arnold followed his friend and took a seat in front of Gerald, Arnold was fuming. He felt out of the loop, lost when it came to the people in his life. "Helga; Gerald, I'm talking about Helga you know, your wife's best friend."

"What about her? Arnold you need to calm down and start from the beginning." Arnold took a deep breath in an effort to calm down but it did very little to help his jarring nerves.

"Helga walked into the emergency room today badly beat up, I tried to get her to tell me what happened but she refused, I also saw old injuries on her torso. I want to know what is going on with her and I want you to tell me why you warned me to stay away." Arnold demanded, he heard the harshness in his tone but he couldn't seem to stop himself, the memory of the frail blonde beaten and frighten arouse an almost animalistic anger in him and Arnold wanted to go out and find the cause of her pain.

"Is she ok?" Gerald looked genuinely upset and it helped Arnold slightly calm his rage.

"No she's not ok Gerald; someone beat the living crap out of her. The worst part is she didn't want to file a report she gave me the bullshit excuse about walking into a door." Gerald took a swing from his beer and loosened his tie while looking everywhere but at Arnold.

"You need to talk to her about this."

"I'm talking to you, you're my best friend and I would appreciate it if you didn't dick me around." Arnold noticed a few patrons staring at them and he lowered his voice. "Do you know who's been abusing Helga?"

"Yes," Gerald took off his gray suit jacket and settled in for the long conversation. "Michael Bowman, her ex-husband."

"Brainy? Seriously, Brainy was weird but he was always nice." Arnold said incredulous. He couldn't picture timid Brainy beating up Helga, in fact if he remembered correctly Helga had constantly been punching the quiet boy in the face during middle school. Arnold realized he really didn't know anything about the people he grew up with and the knowledge brought him a profound sense of loneliness.

"Yes well Michael didn't grow up to be a nice person. Helga and Michael dated on and off after high school, then out of the blue they got married. It was a huge society wedding over three hundred people in attendance; I remember how angry Phoebe had been at the time because Helga hadn't told her anything until about two weeks before the wedding." Gerald stopped when an older waitress stopped in front of them and demanded to know if they were going to order anything.

"Jack on the rocks." Arnold didn't usually didn't drink but he had a feeling he was going to need it the more he thought about some guy beating up Helga the angrier he got.

"Hey Peg; beer please." The woman wrote down their orders and left just as rudely as she had appeared. "Anyway, after the marriage we assumed she was happy because we didn't hear from her for about a year. Then she started calling and would come by once in a while, I still thought everything was ok but Phoebe knew better. For our wedding Helga was the matron of honor and I remember her walking down the aisle with a limp but I didn't think anything of it, she had only been married two years by then but apparently the abuse was already really bad even then."

"Here, anything else?" The waitress said slamming the drinks on the table and spilling half of Arnold's drink.

"You know Peg, it's not my fault your son violated parole." Gerald said to the woman who only flipped him the bird and walked away

After the woman left Gerald stuck is tongue out at her back remaining Arnold of simpler days when they were children, now the world seemed to be pressing down on them and Arnold wondered if he would crack under the pressure. "You were married six years ago; I don't remember Helga being there at all."

"That's because you missed the ceremony you jackass, thank god Jamie O was my best man otherwise I would have killed you." Arnold felt his face warm up and knew he was blushing; he would always feel guilt over missing Gerald's wedding ceremony. Arnold had been ready to leave the hospital for the airport that day when six gunshot wound victims where wheeled into the emergency room from a bank robbery. The emergency room had been overwhelmed and Arnold had to stay and help stabilize the critically wounded, by the time he had finally arrived at the wedding the reception was already halfway done.

"I'm sorry about that Gerald I…"

"I know man I'm just messing with you doc, anyway by the time you got there she was already gone. To make a long story short, even though the world thinks Michael is a great guy even I thought that until recently when they divorced and Phoebe told me everything that had been going on behind closed doors." Gerald had been shocked when Phoebe had confided in him about Helga's hell. The Bowman's showed the world a picture of the perfect family, most people in Hillwood where even envious of the good looking couple and their beautiful son.

"I don't understand; if she had the courage to divorce him why not report him to the police?"

"He is the police Arnold, Michael is a homicide detective and his brother is the police commissioner."

"Well Gerald then why don't you help her? You're the assistant district attorney aren't you?" The information Gerald was giving him still didn't explain why Michael was free to beat up Helga and how could he had gone so many years beating her and no one knew about it. Gerald grabbed his jacket and pulled out a pristine white business card and handed it to Arnold.

"Meet my boss, District Attorney Daniel Bowman, Michael's uncle."

**H**

Helga paced back and forward in Phoebe's living room as the smaller woman sat calmly rocking her baby to sleep. Little Penelope was the cutest little thing with dark caramel skin and straight black hair cut into a short bob, just like her mother. A dark sadness took over Helga as she looked at the two of them, Helga remember a time in high school when she had imagined the beautiful happy family she would have with Arnold, just like Phoebe and Gerald had.

"What are you going to do?" Phoebe whispered as baby Penelope's eyelids started to drift down.

"I don't know Pheebes, I'm too scared to stay in my apartment." It terrified her that Michael had broken in without a problem and there was nothing stopping him from doing it again. The one thing Helga had learned during her disastrous eight year marriage was that Michael's remorseful period didn't last long and soon he would be back for blood, especially when she disobeyed him.

"You can always stay here Helga, you know that right?"

"Of course I do but I don't want to traumatize Mikey any further, he's already a scared, skittish child." Helga would have to figure something out because she was not going back to be a sitting duck. "I saw Thad at the hospital, he asked me about Rhonda." Helga noticed Phoebe's face darken at the mention of the other woman. Rhonda had made herself despised by even sweet tempered Phoebe; Helga on the other hand owed the woman her life.

"Poor Thad, I can't believe he's still hung up on that skank." Helga was shocked at her friend, Phoebe never used strong language or spoke ill of anyone.

"Well I will always be grateful to her; if she hadn't had sex with Michael in our bedroom I would have never had the video to black mail Marcus into making his son give me a divorce." Helga always smiled at the irony of it all, Michael had installed a nanny cam in their bedroom because he thought Helga was cheating on him. She had come across the thing one day while cleaning and that night after she walked in on her husband with the other woman the camera had been the first thing Helga had grabbed.

"You know she only did it because she hates you and thought it would hurt you."

"Whatever the reason, at least I don't have to live in the mansion with Michael…" Helga was interrupted by the front door opening. They both heard Gerald laughing before he walked into the living room with Arnold.

"Babe I'm…oh hi Helga." Gerald stopped whatever he was going to say at the sight of the blonde stitched up and bandaged standing in the middle of his living room; she had on a soft pink turtle neck sweater that covered her neck bruises and skin tight blue jeans, she looked much younger than her twenty nine years. Arnold couldn't seem to keep his eyes from sliding down her body.

"Hey Helga; Phoebe." Arnold whispered after he noticed the baby sleeping in her mother's arms.

"Hi Arnold, how are you? Gerald honey can you help me put the baby to bed?" Gerald quickly walked over to his wife kissing her softly on the lips and taking the baby from her arms gently, he quietly walked up the stairs, and Phoebe followed leaving Arnold and Helga alone.

"How are you feeling? Does your throat still hurt?" Arnold asked Helga concerned and she blushed remembering how rude she had been to him earlier when all he tried to do was help her.

"Much better thank you, Arnold I just want to apologize for earlier." Helga looked into his eyes and realized she had forgotten how green they were, like emeralds. _I bet you would have never abused me. _She quickly pushed the thoughts away; a long time ago Helga learned that there was no use to thinking about what could have been.

"It's ok Helga, I just want to make sure you're ok, can I take a closer look?" She nodded before she knew what she was doing; Arnold walked up to her and gently touched her face running a finger down her swollen left eye and cheek. He's warm fingers sent shivers down her spine, Helga realized it had been a long time since a man's hands had caressed her. She had never realized how much she craved to be loved instead of abused. His fingers travel down her cheek and into her silky wavy hair which was cleaned of blood. Without realizing it Helga leaned in closer to his touch closing her eyes and indulging in the feel, Arnold wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug. Helga relaxed into the embrace, she needed it more than she would allow herself to acknowledge, and she was engulfed in Arnold's clean scent and as irrational as it was she felt safe for the first time in years. They heard someone clearing their throat and quickly broke apart nervously.

"Uh Arnold, weren't you telling me how you needed someone to help with Gertie you know keep her company." Gerald said suspiciously, Arnold stared at him blankly knowing he was missing something.

"Really Arnold? Well I know Helga was just telling me how she needed a new job." Phoebe piped in faking innocence.

"I didn't…" Helga tried to object seeing right through her friend, Phoebe had never been a good actress.

"Yes, your right I do need someone to say with grandma while I'm at work, she's very lonely and depressed. I worry about her being alone all day, sometimes I work twenty four hour shifts and she's all alone the entire time." Arnold eagerly said finally catching up, Helga knew what they were trying to do and she appreciated it but she couldn't just go stay with Arnold. _Why not? _Helga thought to herself, as far as she knew Michael wasn't aware of Arnold's return to Hillwood. "What do you say Helga we can help each other."

"What if my troubles follow me to your home?" Helga knew Michael would never stop, she also knew of Michael's hatred for Arnold. Michael had been one of the few people who knew of Helga's youthful obsession with Arnold.

"Why don't you let me worry about that?" Arnold said with controlled anger. The room was silent as the other occupants waited anxiously for Helga's answer, it was the best option she had. Helga knew that if she stayed in her apartment Michael would return and even though Helga knew Phoebe and Gerald would gladly take her in they didn't really have the room, and Michael could cause Gerald trouble in his job. Bob and Miriam where out of the question, even though their relationship had improved her parents had their own problems to work out. Olga, well just no.

"Ok Arnold, but this is just temporary until I can save up enough money to get as far away from this damn town."


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Hey Arnold, just a fan!

Hey guys sorry it's taken so long to write this chapter I have been have a lot of trouble with my internet. Please review let me know if the story is going in a good direction or if I have to modify. I am open to criticism and suggestion :).

**Chapter 6 – Playing Dirty**

**H**

Helga paced back and forward outside the plush office of businessman Marcus Bowman. The prissy young secretary sitting behind the outer office stared at her with disapproval, but Helga could care less about the nasty redhead, she had bigger fish to fry and the little courage she had felt that morning after waking up in the safety of Arnold's condo was quickly fading. The thought of Arnold made her smile; he really had grown up to be the kind dork she had envisioned when they were kids. After the conversion they had at Gerald and Phoebe's Helga had gone to her landlord and told him she was leaving. He initially put up a fuss about the lease, but she offered to leave all her furniture as payment for breaking the lease. In reality she had no need for worn old couches and tables; she had only packed her and Mikey's clothes as well as his toys and keepsakes then she walked out of the rundown apartment feeling like things where about to turn around.

The best part had been going into the enormous luxurious condo and seeing Arnold's grandmother with a bellhop hat on her head saluting her and helping a protesting Helga with her bags. Arnold just laughed and played along taking orders from an animated Gertie. Helga felt welcome and safe once she crossed the threshold, wondering how she had lived her entire life without feeling wanted like Arnold and Gertie made her feel. The next morning Helga woke up with determination, after sharing a hearty breakfast with Gertie she took the bus to the Hillwood business district. The one thing she knew for sure was that Marcus Bowman had no patience for foolishness or public scandal. Marcus had been the main reason that the world believed she and Michael where the perfect golden couple. Also, thanks to Marcus's hatred of scandals, Helga had been granted a divorce. She found herself waiting outside of the office once again seeking her freedom.

"He will see you now." Helga took a deep, calming breath and walked up to large dark oak double doors and froze. Fears threaten to take over her and Helga feared all her false bravado was slipping away. "He doesn't have all day." The redhead snapped. "It's now or never," Helga thought taking the final step and walking into the enormous executive office.

Marcus Bowman stood behind his desk talking on the phone, he looked up at Helga and quickly dismissed her. She closed the door and walked closer to the desk and waited, it was too late to back out now.

"Helga, what can I do for you?" Marcus said looking at the Rolex on his wrist after hanging up the phone.

"I want Michael to stay the hell away from me and Mikey." Marcus's eyes narrowed and Helga knew he wouldn't cooperate easily.

"Why would I keep Michael away from his own son?"

"Michael could care less about Mikey and you know it, the only reason he exercises his weekend visits is to bother me. He calls him the kid."

"He has every right to be with his son and I won't stop him." Helga took her phone out of her back jean pocket and walked closer to the desk, giving Marcus a better view of the screen.

"If I see Michael anywhere near my son or if he comes after me I will go to the press with these photos. I can see the headlines now 'SON OF US SENATE CANDIDATE BEATS EX-WIFE' I bet that would go down well with your voters." She knew she had him in her pocket with the photos. Marcus grabbed for the phone but she was faster and snatched it away.

"The worst mistake my son made was tainting our family name with the likes of you. I just knew you would be nothing but a troublesome pretty face. I'm getting very sick of the black mail; don't forget I have quite a bit of power."

"Look at my face Marcus, your lunatic of a son has been beating me up for six years without any repercussions, I'm very aware of your power." For a moment Helga held her breath thinking that maybe she had overestimated her hand.

"I'll see what I can do"

"I'm going to need more than that, keep that lunatic away from me and I won't go to the press with my story."

**A**

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Tanner we did all that we could." As soon as the words where out of his mouth the petite woman in front of him fell to the floor in a heap of misery, her husband tried to console as best he could but there was nothing that could be said. Arnold wished it was all a bad dream but he knew better, Mr. and Mrs. Tanner had been brought into the emergency room with their four year son Brandon after a car accident. The Tanners only suffered minor injuries and a couple of broken bones, but little Brandon had a severe head injury and had been rushed to the operating room. Arnold had promised them everything was going to be ok, but he lost the little boy on the operating table.

"You said he was ok!" Mrs. Tanner accused and between violent sobs.

"The head injury seemed minor when he arrived but upon further exam…"

"But you said it was ok!" she screamed not listening to his pathetic excuses. Sherry, the cute ER nurse that usually worked the day shift with him, walked up to the scene and patted his back lightly with her small hand.

"I'll stay with the Tanners Arnold, why don't you go get cleaned up?" Gratefully he nodded his head and headed back to the O.R. locker room in total defeat. Brandon Tanner was the first child he lost in all the years he had been practicing medicine, including his three year residency. Arnold opened the door to the locker room and found Thaddeus sitting on a bench with his face in his hands. When he heard the door open Thad looked at Arnold's mournful figure.

"I know is hard losing a patient, especially a child, you can't let it get to you." Thad said removing his surgical cap and crumpling it in his hands exposing his cropped black hair.

"How do you do that? I can't just take the loss of a patient so lightly, it was my first child."

"You have to or you won't make it in this field. Go home Arnold, surround yourself with the people you love and try to forget today, you did everything in your power and then some to save that boy it just wasn't meant to be." Thad got up from the bench and walk towards the showers when Arnold's low voice stopped him. "What?"

"His name was Brandon."

After washing away some of the pain and exhaustion Arnold finally made his way home with a heavy heart. He wasn't sure what was waiting for him back at the condo. Gertie had been happy and animated the night before when Helga had moved into his guest room but Arnold had learned in the last three months not to get his hopes up. Maybe he would be able to quietly slip into his room and go over everything he did wrong in the care of Brandon Tanner.

"Hey welcome home Arnold." Helga appeared in front of him like a beautiful vision as soon as Arnold opened the front door, she wore a white T and faded jeans under her pink apron and Arnold smiled at her healing face. The second thing that hit him was the wonderful smells in the apartment; he realized that was the first time he smelled food coming from his kitchen. Gertie and him had been living on take out and pizza since moving to the condo.

"What's going on?"

"We just got done making dinner, are you hungry?" Helga asked with a pleasant smile on her face as she headed back to the kitchen, to where he could hear Mikey and Gertie discussing the table setting. He followed, a little confused, he had definitely not expected to walk into his lonely apartment and find it lively and welcoming. A warm feeling spread in his chest and Arnold mused, that must be what is like to have a family of his own. The large kitchen was a beehive of activity as Mikey and Gertie finished setting up the kitchen table and Helga moved dishes of food from the island to the table. The spread was wonderful, making Arnold realize he was hungry; there was mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and a pot roast releasing succulent scents into the air.

"Table is set, dinner's ready, alright how about you boys go wash up so we can eat?" Gertie said wearing a pirate hat and an eye patch. Little Mikey walked up to him and looked up with his enormous blue eye.

"Come on Mr. Arnold, we have to wash our hands." Arnold smiled at the little boy and followed him into the half bath in the living room. Arnold took off his coat and washed his hands as Mikey inspected making sure he did it like his mommy taught him.

After the first family dinner since Grandpa Phil first got sick Arnold helped Helga clean the kitchen as Gertie put Mikey to bed.

"You don't have to do all this you know, I only hired you to keep Grandma Company." He said referring to the meal.

"I know I don't have to but, it made Gertie happy and I have to feed my kid so it's not that much more work to feed everyone else." She said lightly as she wiped the counters clean and Arnold loaded the dishwasher. "Arnold, are you ok?" He took a long time to answer making, Helga blush.

"I had a rough day at work."

"I'm sorry I know it's none of my business." He felt like an ass at her tone, Helga was only trying to be nice and he made her uncomfortable.

"Please don't be, I lost a small child today and I just can't get him or his distraught parents out of my mind" he said painfully. Helga walked over to him and smoothed her hand down his back in a soothing motion.

"It's ok you don't have to talk about it until you're ready, how about we watch some TV?" She mercifully changed the subject, he was grateful. Arnold was just not ready to relive the events from that morning. After loading the last dish, he pushed the on button and sat down on the couch next to Helga who flicked through the channels finally stopping on a facial cream infomercial.

"One thing nobody knows about me, I love infomercials and home shopping networks, I don't know why I just do," she confessed bashfully and Arnold laughed. Helga was a complex woman that did not cease to surprise him. After about twenty minutes they were talking about the infomercial as if they were watching a critically acclaimed movie.

"Helga"

"Yeah, Arnold?" She asked her eyes glued to the magnetized blackheads on the TV screen.

"Thanks." She turned and stared at him without saying a word, and then suddenly she smiled and turned back to the television.

"No problem football head." The nickname surprised him and it was his turn to stare. She seemed different somehow, happier and that made him happy. He couldn't save Brandon Tanner but he could at least help an old friend in her time of need.

**Please review and let me know if like it or hate it I can take it. **

elga HH


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Hey Arnold just a fan!

****Hey guys I'm so sorry it's taken so long for this update, also I know that so far I only write Helga and Arnold POV but I've decided to make the story better rounded and give it more back story I will include the POV of some necessary characters. Please let me know what you think even if you hate it. ****

Plz Review I love hearing what you guys think and inspires me to write and keep the story in the right direction.

* * *

**Chapter 7- moving on is hard**

Dr. Thaddeus Gammelthorpe stared unseeing at the now dark computer screen; he had been sitting in his office for almost an hour and had yet to move an inch. His mind once again on Rhonda and her betrayal. He couldn't stop reliving that night in his mind, like a masochist torturing himself endlessly.

"_I don't want to leave yet Thad I happen to be having a good time." Rhonda snapped at her husband her chocolate brown eyes cold as ice._

"_Rhonda I have a surgery schedule for 9 tomorrow morning I have to go home and sleep." Thad was irritated with his attractive young wife, all she ever did was argue and snap at him. They had been married for only six months and Thad was beginning to wonder if the marriage had been a mistake, he was obviously and deliriously in love with Rhonda but she seemed to resent him and Thad had just about enough._

"_Look, I am having a great time and I'm not leaving so see you at home Dr. Gammelthorpe, maybe" Rhonda saunter away slightly stumbling, Thad could tell she was drunk and decided to ask Phoebe to drop his wife home once she and Gerald left the party. It was a better idea than insisting on taking Rhonda home and having her cause a scene in font of all their friends who already looked at him with pity. Thad spent fifteen minutes looking for Phoebe or Gerald but they were nowhere to be found, after giving up he went looking for Rhonda she would have to go home with him whether she liked it or not._

"_Oh hey Thad are you alright?" Thad turned around to see Helga standing in front of him; she looked beautiful in a mini pink dress and high gold heels, her blonde hair flowing down her back perfectly. Thad thought how funny it was how beautiful she had turn out, he also he noticed the bruise on her chest she tried to hide with makeup_

"_Hi Helga, I'm fine I'm just looking for Rhonda."_

"_Oh I just saw her walking up the stairs, she looked a bit drunk."_

"_Yeah that's why I'm looking for her I think it's time we go home." _

"_You want help looking for her?" When did Helga become so accommodating? He nodded and they both walked up stairs weaving through the people gathered at Helga and Michael's hill mansion. At the end of the elegantly decorated second floor they found a group of giggling woman and Nadine frantically knocking on the master suit door._

"_Rhonda what the hell are you doing? Come out right now this isn't right Rhonda!" At Nadine's frantic high pitched voice Thad's heart started beating erratically, why was Rhonda in Helga's bedroom? He rushed to the dark skinned blonde and shoved passed her trying the locked door. He could hear giggling on the other side with a masculine hush. His blood started pumping wildly rushing to his head and leaving him deaf from the pressure. "Now Thad, calm down lets be reasonable." Nadine tried to calm him down in her best therapist voice. Thad shook her off and kicked the door in finding a strength in himself he didn't know he possess. There on the gigantic canopied bed laid Michael naked with an equally naked Rhonda straddling him in the wild throes of passion._

"_Michael?" At the sound of Helga's strangled cry Rhonda finally stopped bobbing up and down Michael's cock and noticed the quickly gathering crowd outside the splintered door. Finally the wild brown eyes landed on Thad and she seemed to sober instantly, Rhonda grabbed the sheet draped around Michael's knees and wrapped it around herself._

"_Oh god; Thad" That's all he heard as he turned around and ran down the stairs and out of the house. Once outside Thad doubled over and wretched the contents of his stomach._

* * *

"Thad, man is everything ok?" Arnold asked concern; Thad looked at his blond friend and cleared his head. He hated letting the memories overcome him, he knew Rhonda wasn't worth it but god how it hurt. He still loved her, how can a person stop loving someone when they have been doing it for more than half his life?

"Yeah sorry Arnold I guess I'm just tired. What can I help you with?"

"I just came over to see if you wanted to meet Gerald and Harold for lunch at The Greasy Spoon? I'm heading there in about ten minutes." Arnold was a good guy, he was always trying to include Thad but Thad knew he was still a psychopath to the rest of the gang and made them uncomfortable, in reality he made himself uncomfortable these days. He had become stranger than he had been before which was saying a lot.

"Thanks Arnold but I have clinic rounds today maybe another time."

"Alright buddy I'll see you later."

"Arnold wait, how is Helga? Don't look so surprise Stinky told me she was staying with you, don't worry I won't tell anyone." Arnold looked at his friend and colleague and wondered why was it that Thad seemed so interested in Helga, it bother him a little and Arnold reminded himself that Helga was just his friend and he had no right to feel any type of jealousy were she was concern.

"She's healing." Thad nodded absently, then when back to his now black screen. Arnold walked out of Thad's office, and into his own a few doors down the hall.

* * *

Michael walked out of his father's office in a huff, how dare the old man meddle in his business? Thanks to the overbearing old fool Michael had lost Helga with the damn divorce, but this time Marcus was not standing in his way. Helga was going to come back to him and they were going to get married again and live happy together. Michael still couldn't understand why Helga had gotten so angry over the whole Rhonda thing; everyone knew Rhonda was just a spoiled rich whore who dropped her panties for the guy with the biggest bank account, which just happened to have been him at the damn party. Michael breezed past the bimbo secretary flavor of the month, the bitch looked down her nose at him and he barely controlled the urge to punch her in her stupid face. Soon enough Marcus would get tired of her and Michael would never have to see her again.

"You alright partner?"

"I want to know where the fuck my wife is hiding; I'm done playing this game with her. I'm bringing her home where she belongs." Michael said getting in the unmarked patrol car. His partner, pretty young detective with huge brown eyes and curly black hair looked at him as she pulled out of the parking lot. Michael almost kicked himself after the words left his mouth, the last thing he wanted to do was piss if Gloria too. "You know why I want her back right? The old man thinks it's good for my image and I'll be running for mayor next year." Michael lied, in reality Marcus had warned him to leave Helga alone and to forget about the kid for a while. In reality Michael could care less about the damn kid he only used the threat of a custody fight to keep Helga in check.

"I know." She answered tightly; she did mind that Michael seemed to still be obsessed with his waif of a wife. Gloria couldn't understand what he saw in the humorless bundle of nerves but she knew better than to question him, Michael had a short temper and very high connections that could ruin her chances at advancing in the force. Michael put his hand between Gloria's ample thighs and pressed firmly making her moan, the woman was fucking sexy and almost as violent as he was.

"You know I love you right?" Surprisingly he really meant it Gloria was his equal in every way she was beautiful, smart and conniving with a heart icier than his own. She was driven by ambition and greed, the perfect woman and he would never leave her but Helga belonged to him and he would have them both.

"I love you too, Oh god Michael that feels so good." She wriggled her hips on the seat and he could feel her getting wet. He chuckled to himself and pressed harder against her.

"Help me find Helga and I'll reward you."

"How?" Gloria pulled the car over to avoid and accident and started gyrating her hips wanting more than his light touch through her pants.

"However you want beautiful, I know how hot you get when you watch the videos of me forcing Helga have sex with me. How about we both have some fun with her after we find find her?" At her words Gloria moaned loudly imagining all the things they could both do to the submissive little mouse, maybe Michael's obsession with the slim blonde wasn't such a bad thing after all. "I'll let you teach her a lesson first." Definitely not such a bad thing.

* * *

"That's disgusting." Helga exclaimed from where she was practically hiding under the throw blanket on the couch. Arnold had finally convinced her to watch silence of the lambs and she spent half the movie hiding, Arnold tried to pull the blanket away but she held tight and burrowed deeper.

"How can it be disgusting if you aren't even looking at it?"

"Ok, Ok ill look but if something else gross happens I am out of here football head." She joked pocking her tousled head out, she looked so adorable. Her face really healed the only real sign from her beating was just a thin pink line above her brow where the stitches had been. Arnold laughed at the nickname that she now used while they watched TV at night. They had fallen into a comfortable routine, the days Arnold worked the day shift he would rush home to have dinner with them and after Gertie would put Michael to bed and retire herself, Arnold and Helga would clean the kitchen and watch TV for a couple of hours before going to bed. It had been the happiest two weeks he'd had in a long time. She looked up just in time to see Hannibal biting the face of a guard. Helga yelped and buried her face on Arnold's neck

"You are the biggest chicken" Arnold laughed and an indignant Helga picked up her head and shoved him hard making him fall of the couch, unfortunately for her he grabbed her hand and she fell with him

For a second the only noise in the room was the creaming guard on screen while Arnold stared at Helga in an almost trance, her beauty captivating and the feel of her soft body on his clouding his mind. "Are you ok?" He asked breathlessly.

"I'm fine, how about you?" before Arnold could answer the scared little voice interrupted them.

"Mommy?" Helga quickly got up and walked to her son who was hovering by the hallway which lead to the bedrooms.

"I'm fine buddy, why are you awake?"

"I heard a crash and I thought daddy found us." Mikey's words broke Helga's heart, she knew that over the years she had done a poor job of hiding the abuse from her son but she had never realized how aware of everything the little six year old was or how frighten. Holding back tears she walked her son back to their shared bedroom not noticing as Arnold followed them. She helped Mikey back into the queen sized bed.

"We are safe here Mikey you know that right?" Mikey nodded his head and yawned.

"Mr. Arnold would save us, right Mr. Arnold?"

"Of course I will Mikey; nothing is going to happen to you or your mommy. I promise." Mikey nodded once again and curled on to his side falling back into the deep sleep of the innocent. Helga kissed Mikey's forehead and walked out of the bedroom again with Arnold knowing that she wouldn't be able to hold her sobs in and she didn't want to scare the little boy again. Once in the living room she sat on the couch the movie completely forgotten and started to sob. Arnold sat next to her and hugged her not sure what else he could do.

"I'm a horrible mother; I've let Michael terrorize our son." She cried between sobs.

"No Helga, you are an amazing mother and you shouldn't take the blame for what Michael has done to you both."

"Oh Arnold." Was all she was able to say between racking sobs, he just didn't understand. How could anyone understand everything she allowed Michael to do? Everything her innocent boy had witnessed, it had taken Michael hitting Mikey to finally fuel her to leave him. Helga was a pathetic human being and she knew it, but she also knew that she wanted to change; she wanted to be strong again for her son and for herself. She just didn't really know where to begin. She snuggled closer to Arnold and let out all the years of pent up despair as he held her silently, wishing he would kill Michael with his own hands.

* * *

PS sorry for any grammatical errors I've been rushing to put this up since it's been so long since my last update. Plz review tell me what you think.


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